Patriot Health Digest
Testosterone is the heavyweight champion hormone for male sexual function and body optimization. It’s closely connected to your body’s feel-good hormone, dopamine, and your mental health, motivation, cognitive function, and heart health.
But men’s testosterone levels are lowering. Testosterone levels have lowered by 1% per year since the ’80s.
Men today have testosterone levels 20% less than men from a generation ago. Overall, we are weaker, fatter, less motivated and less healthy than guys who came before us.
But there are numerous lifestyle changes that might help you optimize your testosterone and body. Here are the strategies to get yourself back on track.
1. Eat Adequate Fat, Cholesterol, and Calories
Cholesterol is a critical foundation for hormonal health. Without good intake of cholesterol, fat, and enough calories, your T levels suffer.
Researchers have discovered that eating around 0.8 to 1 gram of fat for every kilogram of weight is good for optimal hormones.
The quality and types of fats you eat play a huge role in hormone function and health. Avoid most refined, fatty foods and trans-fats. Consuming fish is one way to ensure you get what you need. Aim to get at least 20% of your calories every day from fat to give good fuel for your hormones.
2. Optimize Your Sleep
Most testosterone release happens at night. If your sleep is bad, your testosterone production will also be bad.
Better sleep lowers inflammation and your stress hormone known as cortisol. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHGB), which links to testosterone within your blood, also decreases with good sleep.
3. Breathe Better and Lower Your Stress
Stress can harm your testosterone levels. How do you mitigate stress? Optimize your breathing. Breathing well will not only improve your sleep, it will help you fight stress when you are awake.
Ineffective breathing keeps your body in a low-stress and chronic state. Bad breathing impacts everything from your sleep and mood to exercise performance.
Breathe through your nose both during exercise activities… with the exception of very extreme efforts.
When you breathe through your nose, your cells get higher amounts oxygen, and you will reduce fatigue and stress so you can train more.
Diaphragmatic breathing can raise your antioxidant defenses and decrease your cortisol to jumpstart your recovery. Taking only five minutes to do diaphragmatic breathing such as box breathing can aid in reducing stress.
For box breathing, inhale for 4 seconds, then hold for 4, then exhale for 4 seconds and another 4-second hold.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
